Level Up (A5E) Mixed heritages and Paragon gifts

[Corinnguard]

We're all familiar with how mixed heritages work in A5e. First you pick a heritage and then you pick another heritage's gift at 1st level. So if you are playing a Half-Elf in A5e, you can either pick the Human heritage and an Elven gift, or you can pick up the Elven heritage and a Human gift. But what about the paragon gifts that each heritage gets at 10th level? Which paragon gift does your Half-Elf character inherit?

I think a Half-Elf character ought to be able to inherit either a Human paragon gift or an Elven paragon gift. So you could have:

1. Human heritage/Elven gift/Human paragon gift
2. Human heritage/Elven gift/Elven paragon gift
3. Elven heritage/Human gift/Elven paragon gift
4. Elven heritage/Human gift/Human paragon gift

Thoughts?

 

[Selganor]

Some Paragon Gifts depend on specific effects... The Inexorable Darkvision for example wouldn't be available (or have no effect) if you don't already have Darkvision

But other than that I can't see any reason why.

 

[Morrus]

Well, as written, you only get to pick a gift from a different heritage, not a paragon gift. But I don't think it would be a problem. I haven't tried it myself. Of course, some paragon gifts build on regular gifts, so that would be a pre-requisite

 

[Corinnguard]

Well, as written, you only get to pick a gift from a different heritage, not a paragon gift. But I don't think it would be a problem. I haven't tried it myself. Of course, some paragon gifts build on regular gifts, so that would be a pre-requisite

What about a paragon gift that you could only get if you were mixed heritage? Like a paragon gift for anyone wanting to be a Half-Elf. curious

 

[Sepulchre]

Sounds like some grist for the GPG.

 

[Morrus]

What about a paragon gift that you could only get if you were mixed heritage? Like a paragon gift for anyone wanting to be a Half-Elf. curious

I don't really know what that would look like. Empowering players to create characters with parents of different heritages is an important core element of the game, but we don't 'define' specific combinations, and I feel like that could be a problematic route to go down (especially given that it's one that has been moved away from in A5E, and is now being moved away from in O5E). That said, I'm very conscious that I'm not the right person to ask about that.

 

[Corinnguard]

I don't really know what that would look like. Empowering players to create characters with parents of different heritages is an important core element of the game, but we don't 'define' specific combinations, and I feel like that could be a problematic route to go down (especially given that it's one that has been moved away from in A5E, and is now being moved away from in O5E). That said, I'm very conscious that I'm not the right person to ask about that.

It's cool. I agree with you about giving the players a chance to create characters of mixed heritage, but within certain limits.

 

[Selganor]

Specific mixed heritage paragon gifts might be useful for specific settings or specific sourcebooks OR if there is a specific weird mix and match that you want to expand on at paragon level. (Like a "gargoyle" that is mixed Rockborn/Dragonborn with "Wings")

 

[Tessarael]

I think that there are two main concerns: (1) thematic consistency; and (2) mechanical balance between characters and vs. encounters.

For thematic consistency, it comes down to having a group of traits, gifts, and paragon powers that make sense together for that (mixed) heritage. As Morrus commented, paragon powers tend to tie in to gifts. Beyond that, up to the DM what is suitable and consistent with their game world and campaign theme.

For mechanical balance, it is also to a certain extent DM specific. Some abilities (particularly non-combat ones) may not be as pertinent or useful in some campaigns. If you want to mix-and-match, either the DM and players need to keep an eye out for stuff that seems out-of-whack as far as balance, or you look at something like Detect Balance to get an idea of how beneficial a given power is. I've done my own costings for A5E Adventurer's Guide heritages and converted over Crystalpunk races to heritages to this end.

And which abilities provide a more significant benefit also vary a lot on the character build. A "weak" build may not make good use of certain heritage powers, or have say class powers that are redundant with those hence less benefit that way. So the cost benefit analysis for heritage/race powers tends to assume optimal selection and price accordingly to the expected or maximum benefit that you would or could achieve.